1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for physically qualifying commercial overland truck drivers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and a system for determining whether a commercial overland truck driver is physically qualified to operate a commercial vehicle through information identification, assessment and analysis of the driver's physical condition.
2. Background
The demands on a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver can be very exacting. Ever changing schedule changes, long hours, tight pickup and delivery schedules, adverse road conditions all add to the physical demands of a CMV driver. Other duties, in addition to driving a large vehicle in complex driving situations, require a CMV driver to physically fit. These duties can include coupling/uncoupling trailers, loading/unloading trailers, inspecting the operating conditions of the vehicle, and lifting and installing heavy tire chains.
Before a person can legally operate a CMV within the United States, that person must be physically qualified by a United Stated Department of Transportation (USDOT) certification examiner, such as a medical examiner or a nurse practitioner, and have proof of such qualification. A person is considered physically qualified if he meets or exceeds a set of criteria established by the USDOT, which generally include having no physical impairments, no established disqualifying medical history or clinical diagnosis, no current disqualifying medical condition or clinical diagnosis, satisfactory vision and hearing ability, free of illegal substances, and has no current clinical diagnosis of alcoholism. Accordingly, a person's present medical condition, along with his medical history, must be evaluated by a USDOT certification examiner prior to being legally able to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
The typical evaluation involves an examination a driver's physical condition, both current and historical, by a USDOT certification examiner. If the driver satisfies the requirements established by the USDOT, the certification examiner will issue a qualification certificate.
This prior art examination process, however, has a number of serious deficiencies. This system lacks any type of coordination between the USDOT certification examiners and the results of the actual examinations. The current USDOT certificate is only valid for two (2) or less years. During that time, it is not uncommon for a commercial motor vehicle driver to relocate his residence, which may require the driver to be examined by a new USDOT certification examiner. The driver's physical history is typically requested from the former USDOT certification examiner, which is time consuming and delays the issuance of a new qualification certificate.
Additionally, the driver may have a physical condition, which at the time would not disqualify him from obtaining a qualification certificate but could develop into a disqualifying condition, such as increasingly high blood pressure. This type of information would be of interest to the USDOT certification examiner such that the condition could be evaluated to see if it has receded, stabilized or has worsened. The current physical examination process does not allow nor provide for this type of information.
Moreover, a driver is productive only if he is operating a commercial motor vehicle, any delay in obtaining a qualification certificate can be a hardship to the driver and/or his carrier. Considering fines and penalties can be levied against a driver and/or a driver's carrier if a driver does not have proof of his medical qualification, operating such a vehicle without a qualification certificate is not usually tolerated. Thus, any delay in the issuance of the qualification certificate, or in the event of a lost or destroyed certificate, a replacement certificate, should be minimized.
As can be seen, there is a need for a method and system for physically qualifying commercial overland truck drivers that improves upon the prior art methods.